the wisdom of father brown-第31节

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y；　waving　others　to　come　on；　but　now　waving　not　a　rake　but　a　cutlass。　　Behind　him　came　the　two　negroes；　also　with　the　old　crooked　cutlasses　out　of　the　trophy。　　But　in　the　blood…red　glare；　with　their　black　faces　and　yellow　figures；　they　looked　like　devils　carrying　instruments　of　torture。　　In　the　dim　garden　behind　them　a　distant　voice　was　heard　calling　out　brief　directions。　　When　the　priest　heard　the　voice；　a　terrible　change　came　over　his　countenance。

　　　　　But　he　remained　composed；　and　never　took　his　eye　off　the　patch　of　flame　which　had　begun　by　spreading；　but　now　seemed　to　shrink　a　little　as　it　hissed　under　the　torch　of　the　long　silver　spear　of　water。　　He　kept　his　finger　along　the　nozzle　of　the　pipe　to　ensure　the　aim；　and　attended　to　no　other　business；　knowing　only　by　the　noise　and　that　semi…conscious　corner　of　the　eye；　the　exciting　incidents　that　began　to　tumble　themselves　about　the　island　garden。　　He　gave　two　brief　directions　to　his　friends。　　One　was：　　〃Knock　these　fellows　down　somehow　and　tie　them　up；　whoever　they　are；　there's　rope　down　by　those　faggots。　　They　want　to　take　away　my　nice　hose。〃　The　other　was：　　〃As　soon　as　you　get　a　chance；　call　out　to　that　canoeing　girl；　she's　over　on　the　bank　with　the　gipsies。　　Ask　her　if　they　could　get　some　buckets　across　and　fill　them　from　the　river。〃　　Then　he　closed　his　mouth　and　continued　to　water　the　new　red　flower　as　ruthlessly　as　he　had　watered　the　red　tulip。

　　　　　He　never　turned　his　head　to　look　at　the　strange　fight　that　followed　between　the　foes　and　friends　of　the　mysterious　fire。　　He　almost　felt　the　island　shake　when　Flambeau　collided　with　the　huge　gardener；　he　merely　imagined　how　it　would　whirl　round　them　as　they　wrestled。　　He　heard　the　crashing　fall；　and　his　friend's　gasp　of　triumph　as　he　dashed　on　to　the　first　negro；　and　the　cries　of　both　the　blacks　as　Flambeau　and　Fanshaw　bound　them。　　Flambeau's　enormous　strength　more　than　redressed　the　odds　in　the　fight；　especially　as　the　fourth　man　still　hovered　near　the　house；　only　a　shadow　and　a　voice。　　He　heard　also　the　water　broken　by　the　paddles　of　a　canoe；　the　girl's　voice　giving　orders；　the　voices　of　gipsies　answering　and　coming　nearer；　the　plumping　and　sucking　noise　of　empty　buckets　plunged　into　a　full　stream；　and　finally　the　sound　of　many　feet　around　the　fire。　　But　all　this　was　less　to　him　than　the　fact　that　the　red　rent；　which　had　lately　once　more　increased；　had　once　more　slightly　diminished。

　　　　　Then　came　a　cry　that　very　nearly　made　him　turn　his　head。　　Flambeau　and　Fanshaw；　now　reinforced　by　some　of　the　gipsies；　had　rushed　after　the　mysterious　man　by　the　house；　and　he　heard　from　the　other　end　of　the　garden　the　Frenchman's　cry　of　horror　and　astonishment。　　It　was　echoed　by　a　howl　not　to　be　called　human；　as　the　being　broke　from　their　hold　and　ran　along　the　garden。　　Three　times　at　least　it　raced　round　the　whole　island；　in　a　way　that　was　as　horrible　as　the　chase　of　a　lunatic；　both　in　the　cries　of　the　pursued　and　the　ropes　carried　by　the　pursuers；　but　was　more　horrible　still；　because　it　somehow　suggested　one　of　the　chasing　games　of　children　in　a　garden。　　Then；　finding　them　closing　in　on　every　side；　the　figure　sprang　upon　one　of　the　higher　river　banks　and　disappeared　with　a　splash　into　the　dark　and　driving　river。

　　　　　〃You　can　do　no　more；　I　fear；〃　said　Brown　in　a　voice　cold　with　pain。　　〃He　has　been　washed　down　to　the　rocks　by　now；　where　he　has　sent　so　many　others。　　He　knew　the　use　of　a　family　legend。〃

　　　　　〃Oh；　don't　talk　in　these　parables；〃　cried　Flambeau　impatiently。　　〃Can't　you　put　it　simply　in　words　of　one　syllable？〃

　　　　　〃Yes；〃　answered　Brown；　with　his　eye　on　the　hose。　　〃‘Both　eyes　bright；　she's　all　right；　one　eye　blinks；　down　she　sinks。'〃

　　　　　The　fire　hissed　and　shrieked　more　and　more；　like　a　strangled　thing；　as　it　grew　narrower　and　narrower　under　the　flood　from　the　pipe　and　buckets；　but　Father　Brown　still　kept　his　eye　on　it　as　he　went　on　speaking：

　　　　　〃I　thought　of　asking　this　young　lady；　if　it　were　morning　yet；　to　look　through　that　telescope　at　the　river　mouth　and　the　river。　　She　might　have　seen　something　to　interest　her：　　the　sign　of　the　ship；　or　Mr　Walter　Pendragon　coming　home；　and　perhaps　even　the　sign　of　the　half…man；　for　though　he　is　certainly　safe　by　now；　he　may　very　well　have　waded　ashore。　　He　has　been　within　a　shave　of　another　shipwreck；　and　would　never　have　escaped　it；　if　the　lady　hadn't　had　the　sense　to　suspect　the　old　Admiral's　telegram　and　come　down　to　watch　him。　　Don't　let's　talk　about　the　old　Admiral。　　Don't　let's　talk　about　anything。　　It's　enough　to　say　that　whenever　this　tower；　with　its　pitch　and　resin…wood；　really　caught　fire；　the　spark　on　the　horizon　always　looked　like　the　twin　light　to　the　coast　light…house。〃

　　　　　〃And　that；〃　said　Flambeau；　〃is　how　the　father　and　brother　died。　　The　wicked　uncle　of　the　legends　very　nearly　got　his　estate　after　all。〃

　　　　　Father　Brown　did　not　answer；　indeed；　he　did　not　speak　again；　save　for　civilities；　till　they　were　all　safe　round　a　cigar…box　in　the　cabin　of　the　yacht。　　He　saw　that　the　frustrated　fire　was　extinguished；　and　then　refused　to　linger；　though　he　actually　heard　young　Pendragon；　escorted　by　an　enthusiastic　crowd；　come　tramping　up　the　river　bank；　and　might　（had　he　been　moved　by　romantic　curiosities）　have　received　the　combined　thanks　of　the　man　from　the　ship　and　the　girl　from　the　canoe。　　But　his　fatigue　had　fallen　on　him　once　more；　and　he　only　started　once；　when　Flambeau　abruptly　told　him　he　had　dropped　cigar…ash　on　his　trousers。

　　　　　〃That's　no　cigar…ash；〃　he　said　rather　wearily。　　〃That's　from　the　fire；　but　you　don't　think　so　because　you're　all　smoking　cigars。　　That's　just　the　way　I　got　my　first　faint　suspicion　about　the　chart。〃

　　　　　〃Do　you　mean　Pendragon's　chart　of　his　Pacific　Islands？〃　asked　Fanshaw。

　　　　　〃You　thought　it　was　a　chart　of　the　Pacific　Islands；〃　answered　Brown。　　〃Put　a　feather　with　a　fossil　and　a　bit　of　coral　and　everyone　will　think　it's　a　specimen。　　Put　the　same　feather　with　a　ribbon　and　an　artificial　flower　and　everyone　will　think　it's　for　a　lady's　hat。　　Put　the　same　feather　with　an　ink…bottle；　a　book　and　a　stack　of　writing…paper；　and　most　men　will　swear　they've　seen　a　quill　pen。　　So　you　saw　that　map　among　tropic　birds　and　shells　and　thought　it　was　a　map　of　Pacific　Islands。　　It　was　the　map　of　this　river。〃

　　　　　〃But　how　do　you　know？〃　asked　Fanshaw。

　　　　　〃I　saw　the　rock　you　thought　was　like　a　dragon；　and　the　one　like　Merlin；　and〃

　　　　　〃You　seem　to　have　noticed　a　lot　as　we　came　in；〃　cried　Fanshaw。　　〃We　thought　you　were　rather　abstracted。〃

　　　　　〃I　was　sea…sick；〃　said　Father　Brown　simply。　　〃I　felt　simply　horrible。　　But　feeling　horrible　has　nothing　to　do　with　not　seeing　things。〃　　And　he　closed　his　eyes。

　　　　　〃Do　you　think　most　men　would　have　seen　that？〃　asked　Flambeau。　　He　received　no　answer：　　Father　Brown　was　asleep。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　NINE


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　God　of　the　Gongs


IT　was　one　of　those　chilly　and　empty　afternoons　in　early　winter；　when　the　daylight　is　silver　rather　than　gold　and　pewter　rather　than　silver。　　If　it　was　dreary　in　a　hundred　bleak　offices　and　yawning　drawing…rooms；　it　was　drearier　still　along　the　edges　of　the　flat　Essex　coast；　where　the　monotony　was　the；　more　inhuman　for　being　broken　at　very　long　intervals　by　a　lamp…post　that　looked　less　civilized　than　a　tree；　or　a　tree　that　looked　more　ugly　than　a　lamp…post。　　A　light　fall　of　snow　had　half…melted　into　a　few　strips；　also　looking　leaden　rather　than　silver；　when　it　had　been　fixed　again　by　the　seal　of　frost；　no　fresh　snow　had　fallen；　but　a　ribbon　of　the　old　snow　ran　along　the　very　margin　of　the　coast；　so　as　to　parallel　the　pale　ribbon　of　the　foam。

　　　　　The　line　of　the　sea　looked　frozen　in　the　very　vividness　of　its　violet…blue；　like　the　vein　of　a　frozen　finger。　　For　miles　and　miles；　forward　and　back；　there　was　no　breathing　soul；　save　two　pedestrians；　walking　at　a　brisk　pace；　though　one　had　much　longer　legs　and　took　much　longer　strides　than　the　other。

　　　　　It　did　not　seem　a　very　appropriate　place　or　time　for　a　holiday；　but　Father　Brown　had　few　holidays；　and　had　to　take　them　when　he　could；　and　he　always　preferred；　if　possible；　to　take　them　in　company　with　his　old　friend　Flambeau；　ex…criminal　and　ex…detective。　　The　priest　had　had　a　fancy　for　visiting　his　old　parish　at　Cobhole；　and　was　going　north…eastward　along　the　coast。

　　　　　After　walking　a　mile　or　two　farther；　they　found　that　the　shore　was　beginning　to　be　formally　embanked；　so　as　to　form　something　like　a　parade；　the　ugly　lamp…posts　became　less　few　and　far　between　and　more　ornamental；　though　quite　equally　ugly。　　Half　a　mile　farther　on　Father　Brown　was　puzzled　first　by　little　labyrinths　of　flowerless　flower…pots；　covered　with　the　low；　flat；　quiet…coloured　plants　that　look　less　like　a　garden　than　a　tessellated　pavement；　between　weak　curly　paths　studded　with　seats　with　curly　backs。　　He　faintly　sniffed　the　atmosphere　of　a　certain　sort　of　seaside　town　that　be　did　not　specially　care　about；　and；　looking　ahead　along　the　parade　by　the　sea；　he　saw　something　that　put　the　matter　beyond　a　doubt。　　In　the　grey　distance　the　big　bandstand　of　a　watering…place　stood　up　like　a　giant　mushroom　with　six　legs。

　　　　　〃I　suppose；〃　said　Father　Brown；　turning　up　his　coat…collar